Context-sensitive navigational aid

ABSTRACT

A navigational aid including an intelligent display mode and a communication system communicates with a vehicle&#39;s sensor system and/or historical- or time-based information to reduce the number of businesses that are displayed on the map by filtering out unneeded or less preferred services. When the vehicle&#39;s fuel level sensor detects that the fuel tank is almost empty, a message can be sent from the sensor system to the navigational aid such that the navigational aid can then begin showing a visual indication (e.g., text or graphical information such as an icon) of the location of fuel stations on the screen. Additionally, the location receiver indicates to the filter when the navigational aid is close to the programmed destination. At that point, the filter can be informed that it should start showing garages or areas where the vehicle can be parked without having cluttered the screen with parking garages that were not close to the destination. Similarly, when in need of other services (e.g., hotel or restaurant services), the navigational aid can display preferred brands (while omitting non-preferred brands) and make reservations when a communication system is included which is capable of communicating with the service provider. Additionally, prices or relative prices for the services may also be indicated.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a navigational aid (such as a GPSsystem) which includes context sensitive information, and in oneembodiment to a system and method for filtering out or addinginformation to what a user sees or hears while using a navigational aidbased on time-sensitive or application-specific information.

DISCUSSION OF THE BACKGROUND

A number of companies have begun releasing navigational aids (such asGPS systems) that can be carried on one's person or transported in avehicle to aid in going from place to place. Some of those systemsidentify various types of businesses that are located within the fieldof view of the map in case the user has need of such a service. Thisincludes the ability to see gas stations, restaurants, etc. as onedrives around. However, cluttering up a screen with gas stations is notvaluable when that vehicle's gas tank is mostly full. Moreover,cluttering up a screen with restaurants is not valuable after justhaving stopped by a restaurant or when one is not hungry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description, given with respect to the attached drawings,may be better understood with reference to the non-limiting examples ofthe drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a navigational aid (e.g., a GPSsystem) with a screen for showing a map of an area near the navigationalaid;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary illustration of a map showing all of the knownbusinesses in the area near the navigational aid;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a navigational aid communicating withsensors in a vehicle in order to provide context sensitive information;and

FIGS. 4A and 4B are exemplary illustrations of the map of FIG. 2 afterfiltering out businesses that are not relevant to a user's desired needsat the time.

DISCUSSION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Turning to FIG. 1, a navigational aid 100 using a location receiver(e.g., a GPS receiver, a cellular triangulation unit or any otherwireless signal-based triangulation unit (e.g., a WiFi-basedtriangulation unit)) that displays a map of the area around thenavigational aid is shown. In one embodiment, the map can be moved(e.g., scrolled) to other locations other than the area around thenavigational aid (e.g., to see a later part of a route or to seebusinesses further away). As shown in FIG. 2, the map containsinformation about a number of different business locations and theirtypes. While the various business types are indicated with differentletters in FIG. 2, the business types can also or alternatively beindicated by different graphical representations (e.g., icons) with thesame or different colors. As shown in FIG. 2, all the business locationsare indicated in a first mode (e.g., a default mode) in which filteringis not used for the display of business locations.

When a user wishes to reduce clutter on the screen, the user may switchthe navigational aid 100 into an intelligent display mode (e.g., byusing a switch or a touch screen sensor (not shown)). By including acommunication system (e.g., a wired system (e.g., USB-based) or awireless connection 110 such as WiFi (e.g., the 802.11 family ofprotocols) or BlueTooth) in the navigational aid 100 that communicateswith a vehicle's sensor system 150 (either via a wired connection orwirelessly) using a corresponding transceiver 120, the navigational aid100 can provide context sensitive information while in the intelligentdisplay mode. For example, when the vehicle's fuel level sensor detectsthat the fuel tank is almost empty, a message can be sent from thesensor system 150 to the navigational aid 100 indicating the fuel levelstatus. The filter in the navigational aid 100 can then begin showing avisual indication (e.g., text or graphical information such as an icon)of the location of fuel stations on the screen. This fuel level sensormay further be coupled back to the route calculating system so that thenavigational aid 100 can determine if the vehicle can make it to a nextavailable or preferred gas station. For example, the navigation systemwould dynamically be learning how much fuel is in the tank and would beable to warn a user that an upcoming fuel station is the last fuelstation before the fuel will run out on the route (or before the“distance to empty” falls below some threshold). In addition, the filtermay be further provided with information on the type of fuel needed forthe vehicle (e.g., unleaded, diesel, compressed propane, or electricbattery) such that only fuel stations selling compatible fuel are shownon the map.

In one embodiment, an audible warning may be used instead or in additionto the visual indication. The same kind of filtering can cause gasstations or tire changing businesses to appear on a map in response to atire pressure sensor indicating that tire pressure is low (as mightoccur when a tire has been punctured). The same kind of filtering cancause gas stations or oil changing businesses to appear on a map inresponse to another sensor (e.g., a sensor detecting oil pressure,radiator fluid level, engine temperature) indicating that a vehiclecondition is abnormal (e.g., when oil pressure is low, radiator fluid islow or the engine is overheating).

In addition, the information controlling the filter of the navigationalaid 100 may be received from interfaces other than an interface to thesensor system 150. For example, the filter can be fed by data internalto the navigational aid 100 itself. In one embodiment, the locationreceiver indicates to the filter when the navigational aid 100 is closeto (e.g., within a few blocks) the programmed destination. At thatpoint, the filter can be informed that it should start showing garagesor areas where the vehicle can be parked. Additional information (e.g.,a home location) can indicate that parking information is not needed asthe destination is really home. This would prevent the screen from beingunnecessarily cluttered when public parking is not needed. In oneembodiment, the navigational aid 100 would prompt the user to indicatewhether public parking will be needed at the destination to avoidcluttering the screen. The user may be prompted when the destination isfirst entered, when the navigational aid 100 is close to thedestination, or at any other time in the journey.

Similarly, the filter of the navigational aid 100 can use locationhistory information to suggest restaurants that are similar (e.g.,belong to the same chain or serve the same kind of food) as restaurantsthat have previously been visited while ignoring (or not displaying)non-matching restaurants. In one embodiment, the navigational aid 100will prompt the user to specify a rating for the restaurant so that itmay filter out low rated restaurants in the future.

Furthermore, in another embodiment, when the navigational aid 100 isrequested to show a service type (e.g., restaurants or hotels), it wouldshow the businesses of that service type that are in the field of viewof the screen along with a list of favorite businesses of that servicetype that are coming up within a threshold period of time (e.g., 45minutes in a trip that still has hours remaining). For example, whiledriving from Washington D.C. to New York, a user selects to be shownrestaurants/hotels and begins to see on a main screen thoserestaurants/hotels that are on the viewable portion of the map. Inaddition, a sub-screen shows historical restaurant/hotel favorites thatare coming up within the next 45 minutes. In this way, although afavorite restaurant/hotel is not any of the 5 restaurants/hotels withinthe 10-mile view on the main map, the sub-screen display wouldnonetheless indicate that a favorite (e.g., Panera or Starbucks forrestaurants or Marriott for hotels) is relatively close (e.g., 12 milesahead). As used herein, “hotel” shall be understood to mean any kind ofconsumer oriented lodging such as hotels, motels, lodges, inns, etc.

Additionally, preference information based on historical information canbe used to further filter out businesses that are not preferredbusinesses. For example, when selecting which fuel stations to show inresponse to a fuel level indication, the navigational aid 100 can filterout all fuel stations that do not match the brand of fuel station thathas been predominantly used in recent visits. In one embodiment, thefilter shows only the fuel stations that are the same brand as the fuelstation that has been used more than 75% of the time in the last “x”times, where “x” is an integer that can be specified as a threshold,such as 10. In this way, the navigational aid 100 learns a user'shabits. The same learning process can be used for all other types ofservices (e.g., hotels and restaurants).

In an embodiment where the navigational aid 100 can receive real-timeprice information, businesses (e.g., gas stations, parking garages/lots,hotels) can also be sorted by price when a particular type of service isneeded. In one embodiment, the prices are sorted in a sub-screen showingthe price and the name (and/or location) of the business. In anotherembodiment, the sorted prices are indicated by the intensity and/orcolor of the icon or text representing the business. For example, thebest price may be indicated with the brightest color and the worst pricewith the darkest color. Alternatively, the best price may be indicatedwith a color at one end of the color spectrum (e.g., red) and the worstprice with a color at the opposite end of the color spectrum (e.g.,violet). In yet another embodiment, the price or the icon or textrepresenting the business can be made to blink at a rate indicating howfavorable the price is. For example, a fast blinking price may be themost favorable and a slow blinking price may be the least favorable.Alternatively, a visual indicator can even show the actual prices.

In such embodiments, prices can be downloaded using “interactiveinformation systems.” As used herein, that phrase includes, but is notlimited to, an AM sub-carrier, an FM sub-carrier, DECT cordless phonetechnology, GSM, GPRS, Wi-Fi, WiMax, ZigBee, and 3G/4G telephonetechnology. Any of those communication protocols can use freecommunications, pay-per-use communications and/or a monthly subscriptionoption. While Wi-Fi or WiMax may not be the method of choice while thevehicle is moving, connections can be made when the vehicle is stoppedor parked—even if those connections are simply made in the owner'sgarage at home or the office. Most information does not need to beupdated more than once a day. For example, prices can be downloaded overa Wi-Fi or Wi-Max connection for those service providers along the routeplanned out by the navigational aid 100 before leaving a home or officeby querying information services (e.g., web sites) associated with theservice providers.

In addition, information can be forwarded between various communicationsmethods/protocols. For example, information received via cell phone canin turn be communicated to the navigational aid 100 with anothershort-range wireless protocol (e.g., Bluetooth).

In addition to the filter using the historical location information todetermine restaurants and fuel stations, the filter can learn preferredlocations for any other product or service. For example, the systemwould be able to learn over time which bank is used by the user so thatbanks other than the preferred brand would not be shown (or would beshown differently (e.g., grayed out)) when requesting bank locations.(The filter can be overridden to show other banks upon request (e.g., bytouching the screen at a bank location that is grayed out). Furthermore,the filter may receive clock/time information so that it may filter out(or display differently) preferred banks that are closed and/or do nothave ATMs. The navigational aid 100 could receive the information on thebusiness' hours using the “interactive information systems” describedabove.

In a further embodiment of a navigational aid 100, each of several usersthat use the navigational aid 100 identify themselves to thenavigational aid 100 when they begin to use it so that different sets offavorites can be stored and recalled as needed. Many vehicles use thisknowledge of which person is driving to set the seat, mirror controlsand radio pre-sets. This same process could extend to the informationthat is displayed on the navigation system—and even the format ofdisplay. For example, the display could even choose different ‘skins’for selecting how information is formatted on the display and/or how thenavigational aid 100 responds to various commands.

As data and communication of such data to and from moving vehiclesbecomes more the norm—one has the ability to check availability, pricingand place orders with services that are up coming on one's journey. Forexample, when one is looking for a hotel to stop at for the night, thenavigational aid 100 can display not only which motels are upcoming andthe availability of rooms, but a service could even work out deals asone drives that result in offers for services/products being displayedthat are available for some short period of time (e.g., within anupcoming half hour). For example, the navigational aid 100 could presenta special offer available at the Best Western Motel (e.g., ahead 12miles—$69 per night) if accepted by checking in within the next 45minutes. Motels and hotels could offer these last minute specials in theevening as they see their occupancy rate is not where they would likeit.

The same kind of offer can be provided in an auction or bid basis. Insuch a system, all services of a certain kind (e.g., motels) on anexisting route are notified that the corresponding service is needed inthe near future (e.g., a hotel is needed for the current night). Thisnotification may come from the navigational aid 100 directly or thenavigational aid 100 can contact a service consolidator that passes onthe notification (and receives results). The services would know how faraway the navigational aid 100 is (and thus an estimated time of arrival(ETA)). Those services can then make offers based on their availabilityand odds of filling the space if they do not accept a particularreservation. The services would then bargain (or bid) to provide theservice at an announced rate (either returning the rate(s) directly tothe navigational aid 100 or returning the rate(s) to the serviceconsolidator which communicates them to the navigational aid 100). Thenavigational aid 100 would display the offers (or just the best of theoffers), and the user could accept the service at one of the listedprices or decline and keep driving.

In an alternate embodiment, if the navigational aid 100 indicates thatthe user wishes to accept the service, then the service provider maycontact the user for any additional information (e.g., confirmation ofany details not stored in a user's profile (if a profile is used) or anyinformation needed to hold the reservation if a profile is not used orcommunicated to the service provider). During the communication with theservice provider, the user may provide details such as a pass code or acredit card number. The communication may be either through thenavigational aid 100 (e.g., connected using the Bluetooth connection tothe user's cell phone or using any other internal communicationsinterface). Alternatively, the service provider may call back the user'scell phone number.

If an offer was to be accepted, the navigational aid 100 would reset thedestination to the location to provide the service so that the offercould be accepted within the specified period of time. Alternatively,the navigational aid 100 could include enough personal information toaccept offer and hold the reservation (e.g., using a credit cardnumber). Other data such as how many people or how many rooms are neededcould be entered while still driving. Personal preferences such assmoking or non-smoking information could be stored in a personal profile(either in the navigational aid 100 or at the service consolidator).Even frequent stay programs and payment information could be transferredahead.

A further example of this prearrangement of services (e.g., using bids,auctions or original prices) can likewise be used by restaurants along aroute. The service could also include reserving a table for a family ofa selected size at a restaurant while driving to it.

In an alternate embodiment, the navigational aid 100 is not mounted in avehicle but is instead carried on the person of a user (e.g., in a PDA,a Cell Phone or a walkie-talkie) without departing from the scope of theabove teachings.

While certain configurations of structures have been illustrated for thepurposes of presenting the basic structures of the present invention,one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other variationsare possible which would still fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A navigational aid, comprising: a locationreceiver for detecting a current location; a database of locations ofbusinesses of interest; a screen for selectively displaying adestination selected by a user and at least one of the businesses ofinterest on a map; and a context-sensitive filter for selecting whichbusinesses stored in the database and located in locations shown on themap are displayed on the map and which businesses stored in the databaseand located in locations shown on the map are not displayed, wherein thecontext sensitive filter receives a distance to the destination andselectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on themap comprise parking locations when the distance to the destination isbelow a threshold and businesses not displayed on the map compriseparking locations when the distance to the destination is above thethreshold.
 2. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein thenavigational aid is integrated into a cellular phone.
 3. Thenavigational aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location receivercomprises a GPS receiver.
 4. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 1,further comprising a wireless receiver for information from a sensor ofa vehicle.
 5. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 4, wherein thewireless receiver receives a fuel level status of a vehicle, wherein thecontext sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such thatbusinesses displayed on the map comprise fuel stations when the fuellevel status of the vehicle is below a threshold and businesses notdisplayed on the map comprise fuel stations when the fuel level statusof the vehicle is above the threshold.
 6. The navigational aid asclaimed in claim 5, wherein the context sensitive filter comprises aninterface for receiving historical location information indicating apreferred type of fuel station, wherein the fuel stations displayed onthe map are fuel stations of the preferred brand when the fuel levelstatus of the vehicle is below the threshold and fuel stations notdisplayed on the map are fuel stations not of the preferred brand whenthe fuel level status of the vehicle is below the threshold.
 7. Thenavigational aid as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wireless receivercomprises at least one of a WiFi transceiver and a WiMax transceiver. 8.The navigational aid as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wirelessreceiver comprises a BlueTooth transceiver for communicating with acellular phone in the vehicle.
 9. The navigational aid as claimed inclaim 4, wherein the wireless receiver receives an indication of anabnormal status in a vehicle, wherein the context sensitive filterselectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on themap comprise businesses that can correct the abnormal status when theabnormal status is detected and businesses not displayed on the mapcomprise businesses that can correct the abnormal status when theabnormal status is not detected.
 10. The navigational aid as claimed inclaim 9, wherein the abnormal status is at least one of a low oilpressure, a low radiator fluid level and a high engine temperature. 11.The navigational aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contextsensitive filter further displays an indication of price of thedisplayed parking locations.
 12. The navigational aid as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the context sensitive filter receives ratinginformation, wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displaysbusinesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise businesseshaving a rating at least as high as a threshold and businesses notdisplayed on the map comprise businesses having a rating lower than thethreshold.
 13. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising an interactive information system for wirelessly receivinginformation relating to costs of services provided by businesses ofinterest stored in the database.
 14. The navigational aid as claimed inclaim 13, wherein the interactive information system comprises at leastone of an AM receiver, an FM receiver, a cordless phone receiver, a GSMreceiver, a GPRS receiver, a WiFi receiver, a WiMax receiver, a ZigBeereceiver, a 3G receiver and a 4G receiver.
 15. The navigational aid asclaimed in claim 13, wherein the interactive information systemwirelessly receives information relating to costs of services providedby businesses of interest stored in the database from a serviceconsolidator.
 16. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 13, whereinthe interactive information system further comprises a wirelesstransmitter for accepting an offer for at least one service from atleast one businesses of interest stored in the database at thecorresponding received cost of service.
 17. The navigational aid asclaimed in claim 16, wherein the service comprises at least one of ahotel reservation and a restaurant reservation.
 18. A navigational aidcomprising: a location receiver for detecting a current location; adatabase of locations of businesses of interest; a screen forselectively displaying at least one of the businesses of interest on amap; and a context-sensitive filter for selecting which businessesstored in the database and located in locations shown on the map aredisplayed on the map and which businesses stored in the database andlocated in locations shown on the map are not displayed, wherein thecontext sensitive filter receives historical location information,wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businessessuch that businesses displayed on the map comprise businesses of thesame brand as were stopped at previously and businesses not displayed onthe map comprise businesses not of the same brand as were stopped atpreviously.
 19. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 18, wherein thebusinesses are at least one of a restaurant, a fuel station, a bank anda hotel.
 20. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 18, wherein thenavigational aid is integrated into a cellular phone.
 21. Thenavigational aid as claimed in claim 18, wherein the location receivercomprises a GPS receiver.
 22. The navigational aid as claimed in claim18, further comprising a wireless receiver for information from a sensorof a vehicle.
 23. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 22, whereinthe wireless receiver receives a fuel level status of a vehicle, whereinthe context sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such thatbusinesses displayed on the map comprise fuel stations when the fuellevel status of the vehicle is below a threshold and businesses notdisplayed on the map comprise fuel stations when the fuel level statusof the vehicle is above the threshold.
 24. The navigational aid asclaimed in claim 22, wherein the wireless receiver comprises at leastone of (1) a WiFi transceiver, (2) a WiMax transceiver and a BlueToothtransceiver for communicating with a cellular phone in the vehicle. 25.The navigational aid as claimed in claim 22, wherein the wirelessreceiver receives an indication of an abnormal status in a vehicle,wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businessessuch that businesses displayed on the map comprise businesses that cancorrect the abnormal status when the abnormal status is detected andbusinesses not displayed on the map comprise businesses that can correctthe abnormal status when the abnormal status is not detected.
 26. Thenavigational aid as claimed in claim 25, wherein the abnormal status isat least one of a low oil pressure, a low radiator fluid level and ahigh engine temperature.
 27. The navigational aid as claimed in claim18, wherein the context sensitive filter receives rating information,wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businessessuch that businesses displayed on the map comprise businesses having arating at least as high as a threshold and businesses not displayed onthe map comprise businesses having a rating lower than the threshold.28. A navigational aid comprising: a location receiver for detecting acurrent location; a database of locations of businesses of interest; ascreen for selectively displaying on a map at least one of thebusinesses of interest of a service type selected by a user; and acontext-sensitive filter selectively displaying on the map businesses ofthe selected service type stored in the database and located inlocations shown on the map, wherein the context sensitive filterreceives a distance to at least one preferred brand of business of theselected service type and displays the distance to the at least onepreferred brand of business of the selected service type in addition tothe businesses of the selected service type located in locations shownon the map, even though the at least one preferred brand of business ofthe selected service type is not shown on the map.
 29. The navigationalaid as claimed in claim 28, further comprising a receiver for receivingan indication of which user is using the navigational aid, wherein thecontext sensitive filter receives historical location informationspecific to the user, wherein the context sensitive filter selectivelydisplays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprisebusinesses of the same brand as were stopped at previously by the userand businesses not displayed on the map comprise businesses not of thesame brand as were stopped at previously by the user.
 30. Thenavigational aid as claimed in claim 28, wherein the navigational aid isintegrated into a cellular phone.
 31. The navigational aid as claimed inclaim 28, wherein the location receiver comprises a GPS receiver. 32.The navigational aid as claimed in claim 28, further comprising awireless receiver for information from a sensor of a vehicle.
 33. Thenavigational aid as claimed in claim 32, wherein the wireless receiverreceives a fuel level status of a vehicle, wherein the context sensitivefilter selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed onthe map comprise fuel stations when the fuel level status of the vehicleis below a threshold and businesses not displayed on the map comprisefuel stations when the fuel level status of the vehicle is above thethreshold.
 34. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 32, wherein thewireless receiver comprises at least one of (1) a WiFi transceiver, (2)a WiMax transceiver and a BlueTooth transceiver for communicating with acellular phone in the vehicle.
 35. The navigational aid as claimed inclaim 32, wherein the wireless receiver receives an indication of anabnormal status in a vehicle, wherein the context sensitive filterselectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on themap comprise businesses that can correct the abnormal status when theabnormal status is detected and businesses not displayed on the mapcomprise businesses that can correct the abnormal status when theabnormal status is not detected.
 36. The navigational aid as claimed inclaim 35, wherein the abnormal status is at least one of a low oilpressure, a low radiator fluid level and a high engine temperature. 37.The navigational aid as claimed in claim 28, wherein the contextsensitive filter receives rating information, wherein the contextsensitive filter selectively displays businesses such that businessesdisplayed on the map comprise businesses having a rating at least ashigh as a threshold and businesses not displayed on the map comprisebusinesses having a rating lower than the threshold.